The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1887-06-22

Perhaps not" l answered, ..but !
feel in duty bound to watch
Every WELL" yawned the Doctor, IL
am with You, but we did not go to work
in the right way"
..What would have been your plan?''
! asked
why, simply this. We should have
concealed ourselves in the corridor and
watched his door. When he came out
we could have followed him at a little
distance. As it is, he may visit an
other room. and in that event our time
be lost"
at is all very well to suggest that
now," / answered, ''but there are OBJ
jections to your plan. The guests who
found us prowling about the corridor
would demand explanations, and we
would have found it necessary to let
too many into our secret. Now, it
seems reasonable to suppose that the
force of habit will draw the Judge to
the same place This room is next the
one in which the murder occurred, and
if my theory is correct your friend was
making for that room last night
Finding it securely fastened-you know
it has been nailed up since the inquest
he tried the next door, which is
mine. If he walks at all tonight 1
believe he win go over the same track. y
There is something in that" said
my companion; tbut l hope that he
will not come. Think of the effect
upon his mind if our suspicious should
turn out to be the truth
"Hushp' / whisnered
The door creaked a little, and a
white-robed figure gently gided in.
ut is the Judger' said the Doctor,
under his breath.
And it was the Judge. 1t was plain
ly evident even in the moonlight that
he was asleep, but his features were
twitching convulsively. In his right
hand he carried the dagger.
Swiftly, and yet without making the
slightest noise, the sleepwalker ap-
preached the bed, and, stretching forth
one hand, commenced cautiously feel
| ing. When his hand rested upon the
sham figure he delivered the same
rapid thrust with the dagger that had
witnessed the night before, and fled
| from the room.
| there was work to do. He signaled to
me, and we ran after the Judge, follow
ing him into his room.
/ Judge Pike closed his door and faced
US. For moment l thought that he
| was awake, but / soon saw that he was
| unconscious. He went to his trunk.
and, lifting its contents carefully,
| placed the dagger at the bottom. Then
he threw himself into an armchair.
Il hate to do it." said DIR. Hinton,
"but it must be done"
| He advanced to the chair and shook
the sleeping man.
"How dare your he exclaimed.
''What does this meanP Why, gentle
men, this is strange. How is it that
you are in my roomP"
| He looked down at his costume, and
buried his face in his hands.
| Have / been illp" he asked
| my friend,", said the Doctor, 81 am
about to bring a great sorrow upon
you, but l know that you are brave
| enough to bear the truth. What l
have to say does not reflect upon your
character, and it is necessary that you
should know it.
Speak, huskily commanded the
Judge.
'.May open your trunk momentP"
asked the Doctor.
Certainly" was the reply; ''make
yourself at home"
| The Doctor drew from the bottom of
the trunk the dagger.
'How did that get thereP" was the
Judges stern question. Il have no
weapons. / never saw that before"
The Doctor held the dagger up. On
its handle was engraved the name of
John Luff
''This calls for an explanation, sir"
said Judge Pike, with an angry look.
Tell him." said the Doctor, turning
to me.
1t was the hardest task of my life,
but in some fashion / managed to tell
the story. In the middle of it the
Doctor came to my rescue, and, with
his arm around his friends neck, he
told him all the events of the night.
The Judges face assumed a ghastly
pallor, and several times l expected to
see him faint. He took the dagger in
his hand and looked at the name.
81 understand it ALL" he groaned.
| He threw the dagger on the floor.
Gentlemen" said he, sadly, '.leave
me now. Let me sleep, if l can. In
the morning my nerves will be stronger,
and we will then consult together to
see how to do justice to Luff without
doing injustice to me. The whole
truth must come out"
| Wa loft tho room, apH a1 fo
mine.
"What will be the end of it?" ask
ed the Doctor.
Impossible to say" he replied.
"Pike is a religious man. He will not
commit suicide or do anything rash. :"
We were at the breakfast table, when
the landlord rushed in and SAID to the
Doctor:
Come, quick! Judge Pike is dead
or dyingr'
We hurried to the Judges room, but
it was too late. The wretched man
was dead.
To our great joy it was not = case of
suicide. DIR. Hinton made a thorough
investigation, and satisfied himself that
his friend had died of heart disease
Perhaps it was better so. When the
Doctor and / made our statement to
the prosecuting attorneys no one ques-
toned it. There was great surprise,
but the Indictment was readily "nol-
lied, as the miners called it, and Luff
was set at liberty.
ut was close shave" he said, when
he set up the drinks that night, land
this climate doesn't suit my health. ]
am going to skip"
Silverton was not sorry to see him
go. If he was not to be hanged there
was no way in which he could be
utilized, and the miners counted his
room better than his company.-At
ldkta Constitution
Juns0n--Tbat's a fine painfint ~ vor,,v